Dade Massacre
Encyclopedia
The "Dade Massacre" was an 1835 defeat for the United States Army
that started the Second Seminole War
, which lasted until 1842.
On December 23, 1835, two U.S. companies of 110 troops under Major
Francis L. Dade
departed from Fort Brooke
(present-day Tampa
), heading up the King Highway (military road) on a resupply and reinforce mission to Fort King
(present-day Ocala). Dade knew his men might be attacked by Seminole
Indians who were shadowing his men, but believed that if an attack were to occur, it would occur during one of the river crossings or in the thicker woods to the south. Having passed these, he felt safe and recalled his flanking scouts in order that the command could move faster.
Although the terrain he was now in, pine
s and palme
ttos, could not have concealed anyone who was standing or walking, it could and did conceal crouched or prone warriors waiting in ambush
. The Seminoles did not refrain from attacking in the other places because they thought they could achieve better surprise later, but because they were waiting for Osceola
to join them. They finally gave up waiting and attacked without him.
Several Seminoles with their warriors assembled secretly at points along the march. Scouts reportedly watched the troops in their sky-blue uniforms at every foot of the route and sent reports back to the Indian chiefs. The troops marched for five quiet days until December 28th,
when they were just south of the present-day city of Bushnell, Florida
. They were passing through a high hammock
with oak
s, pines, cabbage palm
s, and saw palmetto
when a shot rang out. Many sources state that the first storm of bullets brought down Major Dade and half his men. As it would turn out, In the late afternoon of that day, 180 Seminoles lay in wait approximately 25 miles (40.2 km) south of Fort King. The Seminoles had terrain and the element of surprise in their favor. Major Dade, who was on horseback, was killed in the Seminoles' very first shot fired personally by Chief Micanopy
, which by pre-arranged plan began the attack. Many of the soldiers, in two single file lines, were also quickly killed. Only a few managed to get their flintlock muskets
from underneath their heavy winter coats.
An eyewitness account by Seminole leader Halpatter Tustenuggee (Alligator, as the white man called him) read as follows:
Only three U.S. soldiers purportedly survived the attack. One of them was killed the next day by a Seminole. Ransome Clarke, although badly wounded made it back to Fort Brooke, where he provided the only narrative from the Army's side of what had occurred. A third soldier also returned to Fort Brooke, but died a few months later without leaving a report of the battle. The dead soldiers were buried at the site, then disinterred in 1842 and buried in St. Augustine National Cemetery
under 3 coquina
stone pyramids along with over 1,300 other soldiers who died in the Second Seminole War.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
that started the Second Seminole War
Second Seminole War
The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between various groups of Native Americans collectively known as Seminoles and the United States, part of a series of conflicts called the Seminole Wars...
, which lasted until 1842.
On December 23, 1835, two U.S. companies of 110 troops under Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Francis L. Dade
Francis L. Dade
Francis Langhorne Dade was a Major in the U.S. 4th Infantry Regiment, United States Army, during the Second Seminole War. Dade was killed in a battle with Seminole Indians that came to be known as the "Dade Massacre"...
departed from Fort Brooke
Fort Brooke
Fort Brooke was a historical military post situated on the east bank of the Hillsborough River in present-day Tampa, Florida. The Tampa Convention Center currently stands at the site.-Fort Brooke as a military outpost:...
(present-day Tampa
Tâmpa
Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...
), heading up the King Highway (military road) on a resupply and reinforce mission to Fort King
Fort King
Fort King was a United States military fort in north central Florida. It was named after Colonel William King, commander of Florida's Fourth Infantry and the first governor of the provisional West Florida region. The fort was built in 1827, and became the genesis of the city of Ocala...
(present-day Ocala). Dade knew his men might be attacked by Seminole
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation emerged in a process of ethnogenesis out of groups of Native Americans, most significantly Creeks from what is now Georgia and Alabama, who settled in Florida in...
Indians who were shadowing his men, but believed that if an attack were to occur, it would occur during one of the river crossings or in the thicker woods to the south. Having passed these, he felt safe and recalled his flanking scouts in order that the command could move faster.
Although the terrain he was now in, pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
s and palme
Palme
Palme may refer toPeople:* Olof Palme, the assassinated former Prime Minister of Sweden** Lisbet Palme, widow of Olof Palme* La Palme, Canadian 17th century politician* Rajani Palme Dutt, British politician* Rudolf Palme, Austrian chess player...
ttos, could not have concealed anyone who was standing or walking, it could and did conceal crouched or prone warriors waiting in ambush
Ambush
An ambush is a long-established military tactic, in which the aggressors take advantage of concealment and the element of surprise to attack an unsuspecting enemy from concealed positions, such as among dense underbrush or behind hilltops...
. The Seminoles did not refrain from attacking in the other places because they thought they could achieve better surprise later, but because they were waiting for Osceola
Osceola
Osceola, also known as Billy Powell , became an influential leader with the Seminole in Florida. He was of Creek, Scots-Irish and English parentage, and had migrated to Florida with his mother after the defeat of the Creek in 1814.Osceola led a small band of warriors in the Seminole resistance...
to join them. They finally gave up waiting and attacked without him.
Several Seminoles with their warriors assembled secretly at points along the march. Scouts reportedly watched the troops in their sky-blue uniforms at every foot of the route and sent reports back to the Indian chiefs. The troops marched for five quiet days until December 28th,
when they were just south of the present-day city of Bushnell, Florida
Bushnell, Florida
Bushnell is a city in Sumter County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,050 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 2,119...
. They were passing through a high hammock
Hammock
A hammock is a sling made of fabric, rope, or netting, suspended between two points, used for swinging, sleeping, or resting. It normally consists of one or more cloth panels, or a woven network of twine or thin rope stretched with ropes between two firm anchor points such as trees or posts....
with oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
s, pines, cabbage palm
Cabbage Palm
Cabbage Palm is a common name for several species of palms or palm-like plants:*Cordyline fruticosa, a tropical tree native to Asia and Polynesia*Corypha utan, an East Asian fan palm...
s, and saw palmetto
Saw Palmetto
Serenoa repens, commonly known as saw palmetto, is the sole species currently classified in the genus Serenoa. It has been known by a number of synonyms, including Sabal serrulatum, under which name it still often appears in alternative medicine. It is a small palm, normally reaching a height of...
when a shot rang out. Many sources state that the first storm of bullets brought down Major Dade and half his men. As it would turn out, In the late afternoon of that day, 180 Seminoles lay in wait approximately 25 miles (40.2 km) south of Fort King. The Seminoles had terrain and the element of surprise in their favor. Major Dade, who was on horseback, was killed in the Seminoles' very first shot fired personally by Chief Micanopy
Micanopy
Micanopy , also known as Micco-Nuppe, Michenopah, Miccanopa, Mico-an-opa and Sint-chakkee , was the leading chief of the Seminoles who led the tribe during the Second Seminole War...
, which by pre-arranged plan began the attack. Many of the soldiers, in two single file lines, were also quickly killed. Only a few managed to get their flintlock muskets
Flintlock
Flintlock is the general term for any firearm based on the flintlock mechanism. The term may also apply to the mechanism itself. Introduced at the beginning of the 17th century, the flintlock rapidly replaced earlier firearm-ignition technologies, such as the doglock, matchlock and wheellock...
from underneath their heavy winter coats.
An eyewitness account by Seminole leader Halpatter Tustenuggee (Alligator, as the white man called him) read as follows:
"We had been preparing for this more than a year... Just as the day was breaking, we moved out of the swamp into the pine-barren. I counted, by direction of Jumper, one hundred and eighty warriors. Upon approaching the road, each man chose his position on the west side... About nine o'clock in the morning the command approached... So soon as all the soldiers were opposite... Jumper gave the whoop, Micanopy fired the first rifle, the signal agreed upon, when every Indian arose and fired, which laid upon the ground, dead, more than half the white men. The cannon was discharged several times, but the men who loaded it were shot down as soon as the smoke cleared away... As we were returning to the swamp supposing all were dead, an Indian came up and said the white men were building a fort of logs. Jumper and myself, with ten warriors, returned. As we approached, we saw six men behind two logs placed one above another, with the cannon a short distance off... We soon came near, as the balls went over us. They had guns, but no powder, we looked in the boxes afterwards and found they were empty".
Only three U.S. soldiers purportedly survived the attack. One of them was killed the next day by a Seminole. Ransome Clarke, although badly wounded made it back to Fort Brooke, where he provided the only narrative from the Army's side of what had occurred. A third soldier also returned to Fort Brooke, but died a few months later without leaving a report of the battle. The dead soldiers were buried at the site, then disinterred in 1842 and buried in St. Augustine National Cemetery
St. Augustine National Cemetery
St. Augustine National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in the city of St. Augustine in St. Johns County, Florida. It encompasses , and as of the end of 2005 had 2,788 interments. It is currently closed to new interments.- History :...
under 3 coquina
Coquina
Coquina is a sedimentary rock that is composed either wholly or almost entirely of the transported, abraded, and mechanically sorted fragments of the shells of either molluscs, trilobites, brachiopods, or other invertebrates. For a sediment to be considered to be a coquina, the average size of the...
stone pyramids along with over 1,300 other soldiers who died in the Second Seminole War.